Spring brings with it not only flowers, sunshine and warmer
weather but two important religious holidays: Easter and
Passover. While Passover commemorates the Israelites
freedom from slavery in Egypt, Easter commemorates Jesus'
resurrection and ascension. These seem like positive
holidays, but the climax of the Biblical stories are
preceded by some fairly heavy topics that include such dark
topics as betrayal, crucifixion, slavery and plagues.
Embedded within the tale of Jesus' life and death and the
tale of the Israelite's fight for freedom and escape from
the Egyptians at the shore of the Red Sea lies the common
theme of faith and courage. I think this is most clearly
seen by looking first at the account of the parting of the
Red Sea. For just as Jesus lost faith in the Garden of
Gethsemane and briefly on the cross, the Israelites lost
faith as they stood on the shore of that huge body of water
and watched the Egyptian's approach. In both cases,
however, faith in God coupled with courage to move forward
with inspired action brought forth the miracles we now
celebrate each spring during Easter and Passover.
The Old Testament, or Five Books of Moses, says Moses
parted the sea with his staff, but the midrash, or a story
that fills in a gap in story, says that the sea didn't
actually part until a man named Nachshon actually walked
into the water. So, Moses raised his staff, but the sea did
not part. The Israelites stood on the shore of the Red Sea
with the Egyptian army approaching and no where to go but
into the sea. Afraid, they began to cry out to God, and in
their lack of faith, they cry out to Moses. Moses, however,
simply tells them to have both courage and faith.
And what does God say? Of all things, God says, "Why are
you crying to me? Tell the Children of Israel to travel."
In other words, while Moses reminds them to of the
importance of both faith in God and courage, God says,
"Stop looking to me for the answers. Get moving! Take
action!" That's an odd response to the Chosen People's
pleas for help, especially when they appear stuck between a
huge sea and an army.
Nachshon, however, understood God's response. He possessed
both faith and courage. He trusted that if he took action
that God would provided the needed miracle. He heard the
words, "Let them travel." He also knew that God's response
- "Why are you crying to me?" - didn't mean, "Figure it out
yourself." It meant, "You have the answer. You know what to
do. You have the tools." Nachshon knew what those tools
were - the power of his thoughts and his vision. If he
believed those waters would part, if he could see that
miracle happening and feel it happening - and if he truly
had faith that the waters would part- they would, indeed,
part.
Remember, God also told Moses to raise his staff and
stretch out his hand over the sea, and the sea would split,
but the midrash says that the sea did not part initially.
(Maybe Moses lacked faith at that moment...) It actually
didn't split until Nachshon walked right into that ocean up
to his ankles, up to his knees, up to his waist, up to his
shoulders, up to his chin, up to his nose. And just when he
thought he would drown, low and behold, the waters parted.
And then all the Children of Israel were able to travel to
safety. This one act ensured their liberation.
So, how does this story relate to Easter? Jesus' told his
followers of the miracles he performed, "These things and
more ye shall do." How could they also perform miracles? I
believe in the same way Nachshon parted the red sea - with
faith, surrender to God's will, knowing and trust that with
true belief and with inspired action we can manifest what
we want or what is right in the moment.
Jesus was, indeed, a Christ. I believe he was not the only
Christed being but a being so spiritually enlightened that
he knew how to connect thought and feeling and action and
manifest at will. He showed us that when we know what we
want and what we need, when we focus upon it, feel it, and
have faith that it will indeed come to us, miracles happen.
Manifestation occurs. And he told us that he was simply
providing an example of human potential.
Nachshon's faith wasn't that dissimilar from the faith
Jesus had on the cross or in the Garden of Gethsemane. Just
like the Jews who had a moment of fear and lack of faith at
the shore of the Red Sea, Jesus doubted his faith and the
will of God, or the Divine plan, in the garden and again on
the cross. In the garden he struggled with his will and
God's will, asking which one "shall be done?" On the cross
he asked, "Oh God, why has thou forsaken me?" In both
cases, he regained his faith and gave himself over to God's
will, to inspired action. On the cross, he surrendered not
just his will but his soul to God. By so doing, he was able
to achieve both his resurrection and ascension.
Both Nachshon and Jesus offer us beautiful examples of men
who had great courage and faith and were able to take
inspired action - action that was part of a Divine plan.
They provide examples of men - both Jewish men - who knew
how to focus thought, feeling and action to bring the
Divine creative forces into motion, thus creating miracles
in their lives and in the lives of those around them. And
that's something that both Jews and Christians - in fact
anyone from any religion or even from no religion - can
celebrate this season.
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Nina Amir, the author of From Empty Practice to
Meaning-Full & Spirit-Full Prayers & Rituals...in 7 Simple
Steps and The Kabbalah of Conscious Creation, is currently
writing Setting a Place for God, A Woman's Guide to
Creating Sacred Space & Inviting the Divine to Dwell Within
It. For more information on her books and classes, go to
http://www.purespiritcreations.com or e-mail her at
namir@purespiritcreations.com.
